NJ’s Lonegan defends calling Trump ‘Hillary Clinton with a penis’

Former Senate candidate Steve Lonegan is standing by the crude comment he made about Donald Trump on Tuesday during an appearance on CNN.

Lonegan, also a former Bogota mayor who was the New Jersey director of Ted Cruz's presidential campaign, criticized Trump for supporting Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale in the 1980s against Ronald Reagan. He also went after those who compare Trump to Reagan, and predicted that Trump's message will change after winning the Indiana primary.

"If Donald Trump does win tonight and pull out half the delegates you will see a very different Donald Trump tomorrow. Donald Trump will look a lot more like Hillary Clinton than he does Ronald Reagan," Lonegan told host Kate Bolduan while predicting a strong outcome for Cruz, who ultimately was beaten by Trump.

Lonegan stood by his words and told NJ Advance Media it is an example of "the level Trump has brought this campaign to. This is the way it is," he said.

Lonegan lost to Chris Christie in the 2009 gubernatorial race and Cory Booker in the 2013 U.S. Senate race. He lost the 2014 Republican primary for the 3rd Congressional district that was ultimately won by Tom MacArthur. He was also the New Jersey state director of Americans for Prosperity.